IN FOCUS
Hello Demo,
Thanks to travel apps, booking flights and hotels has become so effortless that we often take it for granted. Behind the scenes, though, these platforms face countless issues, often in the form of cancellations and refund requests.
Automating that work could help travel platforms grow without their service costs rising at the same pace. For Traveloka, in particular, the appeal seems easy to see.
Our latest SEA financials tracker shows that the traveltech unicorn’s revenue rose 17% to US$401 million in 2025. Yet its profit before tax fell 71% to US$11.9 million as gross margin narrowed and expenses – including tech and content expenses – increased.
In February 2026, Traveloka confirmed job cuts while saying it would continue hiring, particularly in AI, data, product, and engineering.
That brings a different set of costs into the equation. As explored in our recent piece about AI and travel, hiring AI talent, connecting old booking systems, and running the tech can be expensive.
Practical AI use cases already exist in some travel apps, such as AI agents that reconfirm hotel bookings and chase airline refunds. But getting more work done through this approach doesn’t necessarily mean spending less overall.
Traveloka’s rising tech and content expenses could hint at rising AI expenditure, though it doesn’t tell us what AI also contributed in savings. But these numbers make the company’s hiring priorities worth watching: Can the next round of tech investment help it keep more of the revenue it earns?
Glenn Kaonang, journalist
TOP STORY
SEA financials tracker: Traveloka profit drops 71% despite gains
 Photo credit: Traveloka Traveloka’s revenue rose 17% to US$401 million in 2025, but narrower gross margins and rising expenses cut its profit before tax down by 71%. The results show how growth can coexist with weakening profitability.
Our tracker brings together private tech companies’ financials across Southeast Asia, helping readers look beyond revenue to profits and cash flow.
FROM OUR ARCHIVES
Singapore drift: What Traveloka’s shift really tells us
 Image credit: Timmy Loen Traveloka’s latest results have raised questions about how it can grow more profitably. This July 2025 piece looks into the ambitions behind the firm’s move to Singapore: to reach global investors and expand overseas while keeping core operations in Indonesia.
The piece provides context for Traveloka’s direction as its latest figures show that revenue growth alone doesn’t guarantee stronger earnings.
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3️⃣ Citigroup sees Meta’s Muse generating $27b a year by 2030
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4️⃣ Samsung Q3 profit seen up nearly 9x on AI chip demand
Analysts have trimmed their forecasts despite stronger AI-driven memory sales. Slower memory price gains and a stronger South Korean won could limit chip margins as Samsung expands HBM4 shipments.
5️⃣ Granite Asia, Google to invest up to $2m per Asian AI startup
The partnership will source startups through the Granite Asia Fellows Program. Selected companies will also receive up to US$350,000 in Google Cloud and Gemini credits, early model access, and co-development support.
PRESS PEEKS
The following press releases were published as they were received, without any editing from the Tech in Asia team. You, too, can publish your own press release on our site by simply filling out this form. Our team will get back to you by the next business day.
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